"HARMFUL EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION"

• HEARING PROBLEMS
• HEALTH ISSUES
• SLEEPING DISORDERS
• CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES
• TROUBLE COMMUNICATING
• EFFECT ON WILDLIFE

Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have not been built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can take in a certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made noises such as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to loud levels of noise can easily result in the damage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously to regulate our body’s rhythm.

Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such as offices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes can influence psychological health. Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive behavior, disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and hypertension can be linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn can cause more severe and chronic health issues later in life.

Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper your sleeping pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable situations. Without a good night sleep, it may lead to problems related

to fatigue and your performance may go down in office as well as at home. It is therefore recommended to take a sound sleep to give your body proper rest.

Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vascular disease and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studies suggest that high intensity noise causes

high blood pressure and increases heart beat rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow. Bringing them to a manageable level depends on our understanding noise pollution and how we tackle it.

Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and may not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead to misunderstanding and you may get difficult

understanding the other person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and  disturb your emotional balance.

Effect on Wildlife: Wildlife faces far more problems than humans because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound. Animals develop a better sense of hearing than us since their

survival depends on it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets react more aggressively in households where there is constant noise.

Noise is considered a serious threat to the environmental health. Some of the adverse effects of noise pollution are given below:

1. It interferes with speech. In the presence of noise we may not able to follow, what the other person is saying.

2. Noise leads to emotional and behavioral stress. A person may feel disturbed in the presence of loud noise such as produced by heating of drums.

3. Noise may permanently damage hearing. A sudden loud noise can cause severe damage to the eardrum.

4. Noise increases the chances of occurrence of diseases such as headache, blood pressure, heart failure, etc.

5. Noise leads to increased heart beat, constriction of blood vessels and dilation of pupil.

6. Noise is a problem especially for patients who need rest.

7. Noise may cause damage to liver, brain and heart.